Lug nut wrench tool

ABSTRACT

A lug nut wrench which consists of a bar having a lug-nut engaging socket at one end has a lateral projection with a chisel-shaped end adapted for the removal of hub caps. The bar has an extension beyond such lateral projection, for grasping by the hand to hold the nut firmly on the lug while the tool is being turned by means of the extension.

United States Patent 11 1 Tregoning Dec. 30, 1975 [5 LUG NUT WRENCH TOOLD158,629 5/1950 Weynand 29/245 X [76] Inventor: Robert L. Tregoning, 920North FOREIGN PATENTS 0 ATI N Market Fredenck 21701 1,084,267 7/1954France 81/177 B 22] i Jam 23 1975 582,192 8/1933 Germany..- 81/121 R[21] Appl' 543475 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Related US.Application Data Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker [62] Division ofSer. No. 322,387, Jan. 10, 1973, Pat. No.

3,872,521 57 ABSTRACT 52 us. 01.. 7 1 G; 29 245; 81 /177 B A lug nutWrench which consists of a bar having 9 [51] Int. Cl. B25F 1/00 nntengaging Socket at one end has a lateral Projection 58 Field of Search7/1 G; 29/245; 81/177 B, with a chisel-Shaped end adapted for theremoval of g 17 R, 2 R hub caps The bar has an extension beyond suchlateral projection, for grasping by the hand to hold the [56] Ref Citednut firmly on the lug while the tool is being turned by UNITED STATESPATENTS means of the extension.

476,465 6/1892 Jordan 7/1 G 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec.30, 1975 3,928,877

FIG. 1

FIG. 2

we NUT WRENCH Tool. This is a division of application Ser. No. 322,387,filed Jan. 10, 1973, and now US. Pat. No. 3,872,527.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to tools for turning lug-nuts and removing hub caps.

2. The Prior Art Tools of this nature are well known in the art, beingcommonly a bar portion having a lug-nut engaging socket in one end, andhaving the other part bent away so as to form a handle for use inturning the socket.

Anyone whohas changed a tire using such a tool is aware that it isdifficult to keept the socket from slipping off the lug-nut,particularly if the lug-nuts have been put on by a power tool whichmakes them extremely tight. Under these circumstances, it is notuncommon for the user of the tool to have the socket slip off thelug-nut, whereupon the pressure being applied and the sudden release maycause thehands to strike parts of the wheel or fender, causing skinnedknuckles and other discomfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a tool of thistype for removing lug-nuts in which the danger of having the lug-nutsocket slip off the nut is almost eliminated.

According to the invention, the bar which carries the socket at one endis extended outwardly beyond the point at which the offset leverageportion leaves the bar, so that it can be grasped by the hand with theresult that the socket can be kept on the nut even when veryconsiderable pressure is being applied to the laterally extendingleverage part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows one form of the toolaccording to the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a modified form thereof.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, there is a bar 2 having at one end alug-nut engaging socket 4. A leverage and hub cap removal portion 6extends angularly and laterally from the bar 2 at the point 8 andterminates in a chisel-shaped edge '10 for removing lug-nuts. This is astandard structure. However, according to the invention, the bar 2 hasan upward extension 12 beyond the point 8 sufficiently long (4 to 6inches, for example) to be at least substantially as wide as theordinary hand, so as to permit it to be grasped by the hand of the user,for holding the socket 4 on the lug-nut while pressure is applied to theextension 6.

The arrangement in FIG. 2 differs only in that instead of the straightangular lateral extension 6, there is an extension 14 perpendicular tothe bar 2 and then an upward extension 16 forming a leverage portion.

While I have described herein two forms of the invention, I wish it tobe understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except withinthe scope of the claims hereto and hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. An automotive tool comprising a straight bar having at one end asocket for a lug-nut and having at an intermediate point along itslength an outwardly directed first member extending perpendicularly tothe longitudinal axis of the bar and a second member extending from theend of said first member remote from the bar parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the bar in a direction away from the socket andterminating at a distance from a plane through said socket perpendicularto the axis of the bar greater than the distance from said plane to theend of said bar remote from the socket, said second member having awedge-shaped end for removal of the hub cap, said bar extending on theopposite side of said point from said socket by a distance at leastsubstantially as great as the width of the normal human hand.

1. An automotive tool comprising a straight bar having at one end asocket for a lug-nut and having at an intermediate point along itslength an outwardly directed first member extending perpendicularly tothe longitudinal axis of the bar and a second member extending frOm theend of said first member remote from the bar parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the bar in a direction away from the socket andterminating at a distance from a plane through said socket perpendicularto the axis of the bar greater than the distance from said plane to theend of said bar remote from the socket, said second member having awedge-shaped end for removal of the hub cap, said bar extending on theopposite side of said point from said socket by a distance at leastsubstantially as great as the width of the normal human hand.